SUN CITY, Ariz. — A woman is dead and a duplex is destroyed after an early morning fire broke out in Sun City, firefighters from numerous agencies said Friday.
Firefighters responded to the scene near the intersection of Peoria and 107th avenues to find one condo fully engulfed in flames and another condo partially on fire, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said.
Fire station personnel found the dead body of a woman in the fully engulfed condo after extinguishing the flames, officials said. Three other people were reportedly able to make it out without injury.
Detectives are investigating the scene to learn how the fire started.
This is a developing situation. Tune in to 12News for the latest information.
Latest Arizona news
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.
Home Fire Prevention:
The Arizona Fire & Medical Authority has released tips on how to prevent fires from starting in your home.
“More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and approximately 25,000 are injured,” the authority said on its website. “An overwhelming number of fires occur in the home.”
First off, the authority says that every house needs to have at least one working smoke alarm. Every level of the home and every sleeping area should have a working smoke alarm inside of it to offer the best protection.
Appliances should also be used in a way that manufacturers recommend, since overheating, shorts and sparks can all lead to a fire breaking out.
Lastly, families should have an escape plan from every room of the house.
“Caution everyone to stay low to the floor when escaping from fire and never to open doors that are hot,” the authority said. “Select a location where everyone can meet after escaping the house. Get out then call for help.”
The authority offers free home safety inspections. Schedule one with them by calling 623-544-5400.